The EA Motive development team is reportedly working on its' next video game. While details remain scarce as to what this project actually is, EA Motive is supposedly working with an "established IP."
The Canadian game development studio has become more well-known in recent months thanks to its successful flight sim Star Wars: Squadrons. The starship dogfighting title has been lauded for its tight mechanics and complete lack of microtransactions, often being compared to the old fan-favorite title Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. After announcing EA Motive's Gaia has been shut down after six years in development, the studio's slate has effectively been cleaned, making way for the unknown IP project.
News of EA Motive's latest project comes courtesy of industry insider Jeff Grubb. On the latest episode of his GamesBeat Decides podcast, which touches on everything from the likelihood of E3 to the recently leaked Nintendo Switch Pro. Toward the latter portion of the podcast, he and co-host Mike Minotti were asked by a listener about what the Electronic Arts-owned studio is working on for the future. Just after the 450minute mark, Grubb responds by summarizing that although he knows what EA Motive is working on, he "cannot say." The only tidbit of info he gives beyond confirming it to be an "established IP" is that he believes it'll make a lot of people happy.
While some gamers may respond with the age-old adage of "something is better than nothing," the reality is that it doesn't definitively narrow anything down. EA Motive said it isn't working on a Star Wars game as of November 2020, which most likely rules out the galaxy far, far away.
Despite players now knowing the new game is set within a particular franchise, it doesn't specify whether or not the IP is something owned by EA, or perhaps even a third-party property, akin to what EA Motive did with Star Wars. EA did just announce plans to give its studios more "creative autonomy," so there's reason to believe the company could possibly revive dormant fan-favorite franchises like The Simpsons: Hit and Run or a rebooted Dead Space.
Any time there's "big" talk around gaming, players should take it with a grain of salt. However, Grubb and Minotti have mostly solid track records when it comes to reporting leaks. One such example was the duo being one of the first to talk about the Mass Effect trilogy remaster, which was later confirmed via a UK retailer's pre-order list. Both host's coyness and vagueness all but confirm the info they're withholding is likely accurate.
While the mysterious IP is supposed to "make fans happy," the news of EA Motive developing a new title with an existing IP indicates the game may be years away from release. While it may seem like the gaming industry's latest offerings are well publicized in advance, Xbox's director has said some 2021 games haven't even been announced yet. It should be interesting to see when and where these gaming companies decide to show the cards they've been keeping close to their proverbial chests.
Source: Pure Xbox